he more Love they shew, and the more they shall gain. These are
generally Devoto's of Quality; though the Tenet is universal, that he
that is most bloody is most devout.

After these Street-Exercises, these ostentatious Castigations are over,
these Self-sacrificers repair to the great Church, the bloodier the
better; there they throw themselves, in a Condition too vile for the Eye
of a Female, before the Image of the Virgin _Mary_; though I defy all
their Race of Fathers, and their infallible holy Father into the
Bargain, to produce any Authority to fit it for Belief, that she ever
delighted in such sanguinary Holocausts.

During the whole Time of _Lent_, you will see in every Street some
Priest or Frier, upon some Stall or Stool, preaching up Repentance to
the People; and with violent Blows on his Breast crying aloud, _Mia
Culpa, mia maxima Culpa_, till he extract reciprocal Returns from the
Hands of his Auditors on their own Breasts.

When _Good Friday_ is come they entertain it with the most profound Show
of Reverence and Religion, both in their Streets and in their Churches.
In the last, particularly, they have contriv'd about twelve a-Clock
suddenly to darken them, so as to render them quite gloomy. This they do
to intimate the Eclipse of the Sun, which at that time happen'd. And to
signify the Rending of the Vail of the Temple, you are struck with a
strange artificial Noise at the very same Instant.

But when _Easter_ Day appears, you find it in all Respects with them a
Day of Rejoicing; for though Abstinence from Flesh with them, who at no
time eat much, is not so great a Mortification as with those of the same
Persuasion in other Countries, who eat much more, yet there is a visible
Satisfaction darts out at their Eyes, which demonstrates their inward
Pleasure in being set free from the Confinement of Mind to the
Dissatisfaction of the Body. Every Person you now meet greets you with a
_Resurrexit Jesus_; a good Imitation of the primitive Christians, were
it the real Effect of Devotion. And all Sorts of the best Musick (which
here indeed is the best in all _Spain_) proclaim an auspicious
Valediction to the departed Season of superficial Sorrow and stupid
Superstition. But enough of this: I proceed to weightier Matters.

While we lay at _Valencia_, under the Vigilance and Care of the
indefatigable Earl, News was brought that _Alicant_ was besieg'd by
General _Gorge_ by Land, while a Squadron of Men of War batte